Ertson



(No Model.) I 1 r r J. T. ROBERTSON. AUTOMATIC WIPER AND POLISHER FQR PLATE PRINTING PRESSES- No. 549,976. 0v.'19, 1895.

attmmea UNIT D 'STATES PATENT OF ICE.

JUDAI-I T'OURO ROBERTSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC WIPER AND POLISHER FOR PLATE-PRINTING PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters I atent No. 549,976, dated November 19, 1895.

Application filed February 7, 1895. Serial No. 537,652. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that LJUDAH TOURO ROB- ing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic WVipers and Polishers for Plate Printing Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic wipers and polishers for plate-printing presses, and more particularly to that class of wipers and polishers in which an engraved plate is automatically wiped and polished by a traveling belt.

It has been demonstrated from practice that roller wipers and polishers are the most effective; but the tendency of all roller wipers and polishers is to wipe out and remove the ink from the engraved lines of the plate. Various forms of wiper and polisher belts have also been employed, and these generally in combination with rollers which press against the engraved plate through the belt. In all of these, however, so far as I am aware, the belt leaves the plate in a line concentric with the periphery of the roller which holds said belt in contact with said plate, and the action of the belt is the same in effect and open to the same objections as the roller wipers and polishers-win wiping out and removing the ink from the engraved lines.

- The object of my invention is to overcome this objection andproduce an automaticallyoperated wiper and polisher belt which will not wipe out or remove the ink from the engraved lines and which will thoroughly and effectually wipe and polish the plate.

WVith this object in view my said invention consists in certain novelty in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the same, all of which I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a vertical longitudinal section of my said invention, showing the same applied to a rotary press, only such parts of the press being shown as are necessary to a full understanding of the invention, the frame partially broken away. ERTSON, a citizen of the United States, residof the press being shown only in outline and As the wiper and polisher are duplicates of one another and their operation is the same,

' the description of one will apply to the other, and the same letters of reference will be used to designate like parts.

Referring to said drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the rotary plate-cylinder of a plate-. printing press.

2 are the main pressure or wiping and polisher rollers, which are mounted on shafts 3, parallel with the shaft of the plate-cylinder, and journaled in bearings 4, radially adj ustable to or from the plate-cylinder, whereby said rollers may be adjusted to give the wiper and polisher belts greater or less pressure on the plates carried by theplate-cylinder.

- The bearings 4 are formed in brackets 5, attached to portions of the frame, and adjusted by means of adjusting screws or bolts 6- and set-screws 7 The rollers 2 may be constructed in any suitable manner-such, for instance, "as an iron core covered by rubber or other soft and flexible material.

8 are smaller auxiliary rollers located on opposite sides of the main rollers. Said rollers 8 are also radially adjustable to or from the plate-cylinder, and are mounted on shafts 9 parallel with the shaft of said plate-cylinder, said shafts being journaled in bearings 10, formed in brackets 11, secured to the frame by adjusting screws or bolts 12 and set-screws 13. By this construction the auxiliary rollers may be caused to bear with greater or less force, or not at all, upon the plate carried by the plate-cylinder.

14: are driving-rollers mounted upon shafts 15, also parallel with the plate-cylinder shaft, and j ournaled in bearings 16, formed in boxes 17, secured to the frame.

18 are adjustable tension-rollers having their shafts 18 journaled in bearings 19 in brackets 20, secured to the frame by adjusting screws or bolts 21 and set-screws 22.

.23 are endless wiper and polisher belts, which are mounted on and extendaround the trains of rollers above described, and are interposed between the rollers 2 and 8 and the plate-cylinder. The wiper and polisher belts are formed of any suitable flexible materia such as cloth, blanket, or leather faced with any good wiping and polishing material, made as thin and flexible as possible, for the thinnor the belts the better the results.

24 are adjustable rider-rollers mounted on shafts 25, journaled in bearings 26, formed in brackets 27, secured to the frame and adjusted by means of adjusting screws or bolts 28 and set-screws 2! Said rollers bear again st the driving-rollers with the belts between the same, so as to insure the movement of the belt at the same speed as the driving-roller and main pressure-rollers.

30 is the main driving-gear for the plate cylinder and is mounted upon a shaft 31 32 is a larger gear, also mounted upon the shaft 31 and gearing with gears and 34:, mounted on the shafts of the main pressure-rollers and the driving-rollers. The direction of rotation of the gears, rollers, and belts is indi-.

cated by arrows. It will thus be seen that the rollers 2 aid in driving the belts; but their power is principally exerted to effect the wip ing and polishing. The direction of move ment of the belt, it will be noted, is contrary to the movement of the plate-cylinder.

35 are cleaning-pads, suitably supported from the frame by arms 36. Over these pads pass cleaning cloths or rags 37, fed from one drum 38 to another 39 by a suitable pawland-ratchet movement 40 or other suitable means. Said cloths or rags engage and clean the belts and remove the ink from the same.

il is a polished steel plate supported from the frame by an arm 42. Said plate engages the polisher-belt before it reaches the engraved plate and gives it smoothness and polish. A scraper may also be used in connection with the belts.

The construction of the cleaning-pads, polishing-plate, and scraper need not be more particularly described, as their construction and operation will be readily understood.

From the above description the operation of my invention will be apparent. The belt is driven by the rollers, and the main pressure-rollers, being independent of the belt, thus have all the good effects of a roller wiper and polisher, while the belts, passing along on opposite sides of the points of contact of the main pressure-rollers and plate and gradually approaching and leaving the surface of said plate, either at a tangent in a straight line or in a reverse curve to the curve of the portion of the rollers in contact with the plate, are prevented from wiping out or removing the ink from the engraved lines of the said plate, at the same time thoroughly and effectually cleaning, wiping, and polishing the same.

The main pressure-rollers are the principal cleaning medium and may be adjusted to exert any required pressure upon the plate through the interposed belt. The auxiliary rollers 011 each side of the main roller may also be adjusted as required to cause the same to bear with a slight pressure on the plate, or not at all, thus enabling the belt to approach and leave the surface of the plate more or less gradually.

In connection with the above -described wiping and polishing devices I may also employ mechanism to give the rollers a longitudinal movement on their axes or an oscillating movement across the face of the plate, whereby the wiper and polisher belts will have a substantially crosswise or zigzag rubbing action on the plate, as well as a rotary movement.

It will thus be seen that by my invention I get in eifect all the advantages of a roller wiper and polisher and at the same time prevent the device from wiping out or removing the ink from the engraved lines.

I have described my invention as applied to a rotary steam plate printing press; but it is apparent that the same may also be used with a flatbed press.

I am aware that roller wipers and polishers have heretofore been used and that belt wipers and polisher-s combined and operated by rollers have also been used, and I do not claim, broadly, a belt wiper and polisher combined with rollers; but

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic wiper and polisher f or plate printing presses, the combination with a traveling belt, of a roller to force the belt against the plate at the point where the greatest wiping action is to take place, and means acting to hold the belt in contact with the plate for a distance 011 each side of the point of greatest wiping action and then to lead it gradually away from the plate, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an automatic wiper and polisher for plate printing presses, the combination with a traveling belt, of a roller to force the belt against the plate at the point where the greatest wiping action is to take place, and means acting to hold the belt in contact with the plate for a distance beyond the point of great est wiping action and then to lead it gradually away from the plate, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an automatic wiper and polisher for plate printing presses, the combination with a traveling belt, of an adjustable pressure roller to force the belt against the plate at the point where the greatest wiping action is to take place, and adjustable guides acting to hold the belt in contact with the plate for a distance on each side of the point of greatest wiping action and then to lead it gradu ally away from the plate, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JUDAII TOURO ROBER'JTSON.

\Vitnesses:

Louis 13. GREGORY, ANDREW U. SToU'r. 

